Rep hockey to have new structure next season

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT MAJOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION SOO PEE WEE HOCKEY LEAGUE SAULT MINOR HOCKEY

****************************

The Sault Major Hockey Association, the Soo Pee Wee Hockey Association and Sault Minor Hockey would like to jointly announce changes to the Rep Hockey structure in Sault Ste. Marie for the 2007/08 season.

With the objective of integrating all elite minor hockey programs in Sault Ste. Marie under one Association, SSM's Atom and PeeWee Rep teams will now operate under the Sault Major Hockey Association Inc.

PeeWee AAA, PeeWee Minor AA, and Atom AA Rep teams will be managed by Sault Minor Hockey and will report to the Sault Major Hockey Association Inc. Executive. Sault Minor Hockey will maintain a Board of Directors.

This is the same structure in which the Soo North Stars Midget AAA, Soo Thunder Bantam AAA, and Soo Greyhounds Bantam AAA clubs currently operate within the Sault Major Hockey Association Inc..

Planned changes to Atom and PeeWee Rep programs:

* A focus on lowering the cost of playing rep hockey in Sault Ste. Marie while maintaining a standard of excellence

* Addition of a second Atom AA team in 2007/08, if numbers warrant, with a vision to a future Rep structure offering 3 Atom AA teams, 2 PeeWee Minor AA teams and one PeeWee AAA team

* Participation in the Northern International Hockey League (NIHL) is being re-assessed. Atom and PeeWee Minor teams may play a reduced schedule within the NIHL.

* All four teams will play a more robust schedule locally within the Sault Major and Soo Pee Wee house leagues

* Sault Major Hockey Association participation in Atom and PeeWee Coach selection process

Implementation of these changes is underway and a cross-organizational transition team is working towards finalizing plans in time for the 2007/08 hockey season.

2007/08 Rep team tryouts begin April 17th. Please visit www.saultmajorhockey.ca or www.saultminorhockey.com for complete 2007/08 Rep tryout schedules and player applications.

************************************************************